Promoting access to inclusivity in education in Yumbe, Obongi
Stakeholders at the commissioning of one of the classroom blocks. PHOTOS/BUSEIN SAMILU.
What you need to know:
- “The first day in School also marks the first step on the journey out of poverty’. And as such, providing quality and inclusive education to support lifelong learning remains one of the major ways in which we fight poverty,” Erik Lunde, secretary general Stromme Foundation.
The right to education has been a distant dream for many vulnerable children in Yumbe and Obongi districts where many children do not enroll in school at all. For those who enroll, the completion rate is very low and for those who complete, their learning outcomes fall far below national average.
With funding from Norad, Education Above All, AKO Foundation, Stromme Foundation in partnership with its local implementing partners; Community Empowerment for Rural Development and Rural initiative for Community Empowerment (Rice) in West Nile distributed school facilities to 128 schools (100 in Yumbe and 28 in Obongi) districts last month.
The items distributed included; 1,616 Desks, 7,552, 64 executive chairs, 64 executive tables, boxes of chalk and dusters and commissioned two classroom and two latrine blocks at Mijale Primary School, Yumbe district.
Under the Rising Project, Stromme Foundation with its partners has invested more than Shs2billion in infrastructure development in Obongi and Yumbe districts since 2022. The project has also provided scholastic materials, trained more than 1,920 girls in menstrual hygiene management and more than 1,000 teachers in various teaching competences.
Second chance
Suduar Fatia, one of the children supported to re-enrol at Mijale Primary School, talked about how she had stopped attending school because her parents could not afford exercise books and pens.
Fatia, a Primary Six pupil, received exercise books and pens from the Rising project and is assured of completing primary school.
Under this project more than 20,000 children have been re-enrolled back to school, majority of whom are refugees.
Dinah Morgan Nambooze, Stromme Foundation country director addresses guests.
Speaking during the distribution of the learning facilities, Ms Dinah Morgan Nambooze, Stromme Foundation country director, emphasised the role of education in fighting poverty. “As always passionately quoted by Erik Lunde our secretary general Stromme Foundation, ‘The first day in School also marks the first step on the journey out of poverty’.
“And as such, providing quality and inclusive education to support lifelong learning remains one of the major ways in which we fight poverty,” she said.
Ms Nambooze emphasised the role of education in fighting poverty noting that provision of quality and inclusive education was one of the most effective ways of fighting poverty.
The organisation complements government to ensure that teachers and learners have adequate facilities such as textbooks, scholastic materials, furniture, decent infrastructure such as classrooms and latrines to make schools in Yumbe and Obongi districts enjoyable, safe and conducive for learning.
She urged parents, teachers and local government officials to proactively engage in the education of their children to address challenges such as teenage pregnancy, early child marriage and drug abuse which prevent girls and boys from completing education in the two districts. She further challenged stakeholders to mentor the boy child to ensure they too do not remain behind in the fight against poverty.
Erik Lunde, secretary general Stromme Foundation.
Call to parents
Other stakeholders who addressed communities during the handover of school facilities included George D Bhoka, MP Obongi District, technical and selected district local government leaders such as district education officers, chief administrative officers, district chairpersons and Resident District Commissioners from Obongi and Yumbe.
Parents, head teachers, school management committees, pupils from Kuru, Mijale and Aliba primary schools in Yumbe and Obongi districts respectivey attended the event. “We had many educational challenges, especially the infrastructure in schools and this has helped us to improve performance in the region. Remember that learning environment is key to good performance,” said Fox Ssempebwa deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Yumbe District.
His counterpart from Obongi District Mr Patrick Angara, also noted that the shortage of learning items and facilities such as textbooks, desks and school infrastructure are some of the challenges affecting the district. “I urge parents to fulfill their role in supporting the education of their children. For example, parents shold register them at school, provide exercise books, uniform and feed them at home,” Mr Angara explained.
Mr Edward Alu Birunga, the chairperson head teachers’ association in Obongi District, thanked the foundation on behalf of all head teachers for the facilities and learning materials. He pledged commitment to implementing strategies to improve performance. Michael Owen Nabugere, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Settlement Commandant from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), expressed gratitude to Stromme Foundation for providing hardware materials. He emphasised the need for software, including educational teachings. He urged parents to ensure their children attend school and requested school administrators to actively utilise the materials and library resources, promoting a love for reading among students.
Vincent Opio, the programme coordinator of Rice West Nile, committed to continuous support of professional development for teachers to make good use of the new facilities.
Mr Ali Kaunda Ibrahim, the head teacher of Kuru Primary School, was optimistic seeing improved performance after this boost while Mr Akibar Kassim, one of the parents at Kuru Primary School, one of the beneficiary schools, said the initiative was a game changer because their children used to sit on the floor which is now improved by donated desks.
The deputy CAO Yumbe District challenged head teachers and school management committee members to ensure that the items provided translate into improved performance of students in the West Nile region while the Obongi Area MP emphasized the commitment of government to improving education but further encouraged the parents to be proactively involved in the education of their children.
